Australian cattle sent to brutal deaths in Egypt - change is needed

Australian cattle sent to brutal deaths in Egypt

PRESS RELEASE, 24-02-2010, Animals Australia

The re-opening of the live cattle trade to Egypt has been condemned by Animals Australia today. 16,500 cattle departed from Fremantle last night - the first shipment since Animals Australia exposed the brutal treatment of cattle in Egypt in 2006.

An Australian government 'Export Order' requires the cattle to be slaughtered at a new facility at Al Sokhna in Egypt, but cattle will still be slaughtered in a way that is brutal and illegal in Australia.

Animals Australia's Executive Director, Glenys Oogjes said today,
"This is not the good news story that live exporters would like us to believe. The welfare of Australian cattle will not be protected in Egypt. At this new abattoir they will be subjected to the stress of a restraint box which will trap their bodies and rotate them 140 degrees before having their throats cut whilst fully conscious. Cattle can take up to 2 minutes to lose consciousness after the throat cut, causing them immense suffering."

"The slashing of leg tendons in Egyptian abattoirs which caused the trade to be suspended is no different in barbarity to the slashing of a conscious animal's throat. That the live export industry would provide animals to be subjected to such a fate is shameful."

"The only government abattoir in the Middle East now stunning cattle and sheep unconscious prior to slaughter is in Jordan as a direct result of Animals Australia working with the Princess Alia Foundation. A rotating restraint box in that Jordanian abattoir, installed by the Australian live export industry to kill conscious cattle, was causing such suffering that it is now on the scrap heap."

"There is no humane way to kill cattle without stunning them unconscious first. This should be the live export industry's stand. They know that there is no Islamic prohibition to stunning. Animals are not required to be conscious when slaughtered - only healthy and alive. Were the Australian live exporters to take a stand that required animals to be rendered unconscious before the throat cut it would assist in stunning becoming accepted throughout the Middle East. Instead they are willing to be complicit in animal cruelty."

"Australians were outraged that Australia's live exporters were willing to supply cattle to abattoirs where the slashing of leg tendons routinely occurred. They should be equally outraged that they are now happy to provide animals knowing that each and every one will endure the suffering and distress of having their throat slashed whilst fully conscious. This is an industry driven by profits and once again the animals will be the unfortunate victims," concluded Ms Oogjes.